Illegal replacement workers at McGill: report

Posted by & filed under Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: A report to the Quebec government says McGill University is using illegal replacement workers in a dispute with its non-academic staff.

Source: The Montreal Gazette

Date: 09/24/2011

Link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Scabs+working+McGill+report/5451963/story.html

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Questions for discussion:

  • What is a replacement worker?
  • Do any other provinces ban replacement workers like Quebec?
  • What does the Canada Labour Code say about replacement workers?
  • What are the arguments in favour of allowing replacement workers?
  • What are the arguments against allowing replacement workers?

Ottawa and the right to strike

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 13 - Future Issues, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: A Globe and Mail writer wonders what the threat of back-to-work legislation in the Air Canada dispute means for Canadian workers’ right to strike.

Source: The Globe and Mail

Date: 09/20/2011

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/daily-mix/is-ottawa-putting-the-right-to-strike-at-risk/article2172887/

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Questions for discussion:

In the piece above, Barrie McKenna asks a number of questions, including this one: “What’s the value of belonging to a union if the most basic right of employees – to withdraw service in the event of a contract impasse – no longer exists?”

  • Given what you’ve read about this dispute, do you think that’s a fair question?
  • What effect do you think the threat of back-to-work legislation had on this dispute?
  • What effect do you think the threat might have on employers and workers in other federally regulated industries?
  • What arguments can you think of that favour the government spelling out when it will use back-to-work legislation?
  • What arguments can you think of that favour the government not spelling out when it will use back-to-work legislation?

Air Canada, flight attendants reach tentative deal

Posted by & filed under Chapter 1 - Introduction, Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Air Canada and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing 6,800 flight attendants, have reached a tentative agreement just hours before a strike deadline.

Source: Montreal Gazette

Date: 09/21/2011

Link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canada+flight+attendants+reach+tentative+deal/5433573/story.html

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Questions for discussion:

  • What were the issues in this dispute?
  • What effect do you think the “facts of life” letter had on this dispute?
  • What effect do you think the letter will have on future morale at Air Canada?
  • What effect do you think the Facebook page had on the dispute?
  • What effect do you think the threat of back-to-work legislation had on the settlement?
  • Do you think the threat of back-to-work legislation favours the company or the union in this case?

Lululemon continues to grow despite increasing competition

Posted by & filed under Strategy.

Shares of Lululemon Athletica—founded in 1998 and based out of Vancouver—dropped 4%  on 9th September 2011. This was despite a 40% increase in its sales and 76% increase in its profits in the second quarter. It is expected that high labour and material costs will put pressure on Lululemon’s profit margin in the third quarter; however, Lululemon has no plans to pass on the increased costs to its consumers. Lululemon adopts the “scarcity model” for its stores to increase consumer demand—this has led its sales per square foot to far exceed those of its competitors like Roots, Gap, and Target.

Questions

1.  Do you think maintaining their price will help Lululemon? How?

2.  Which strategies can Lululemon adopt to differentiate itself from its close rivals like Roots, Gap and Target?

Source: H. Shaw, “Lululemon dips despite solid sales”, Financial Post (Retrievable online at: http://business.financialpost.com/2011/09/09/lululemon-dips-despite-solid-sales/)

Canada falls out of top 10 most competitive economies

Posted by & filed under Global Management.

According to the World Economic Forum, this year Canada slipped to 12th position in Global competitiveness. As the Canadian economy slowed down, it lost its position among the top 10 global competitors to emerging economies from Asia. While emerging economies showed robust growth, the developed economies were mired with slow recovery and high unemployment. While in absolute terms, we see a marginal increase in Canada’s competitiveness, however, there is a higher relative increase in competiveness among competitor nations. Canada needs to improve its score on foreign direct investments, trade tariffs, and wasteful spending, while at the same time effectively use its resources (people and products) to adapt to globalization faster than its competitors.

Questions

1. How do you think Canada can improve its foreign direct investment?

2. Does globalization improve employment for unemployed Canadians? How?

3. How do emerging economies maintain a high growth rate despite the world recession?

Source: J. Morrissy “Canada falls out of top 10 most competitive economies”, Financial Post (Retrievable online at: http://business.financialpost.com/2011/09/07/canada-falls-out-of-top-10-most-competitive-economies/)

Ontario colleges, support staff settle

Posted by & filed under Chapter 7 - Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Ontario’s 24 colleges and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union have reached a tentative settlement following a two-week strike.

Source: CTV.ca

Date: 09/19/2011

Link: http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110918/contract-talks-continue-in-college-support-workers-strike-110918/20110919/?hub=TorontoNewHome

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Questions for discussion:

  • What were the issues in this dispute?
  • Why do you think the OPSEU revised its position?
  • Why don’t we know the settlement details?
  • What must happen before the tentative contract becomes a collective agreement?
  • When does the strike formally end?

Saskatchewan college instructors halt walkout

Posted by & filed under Chapter 10 - Third-Party Intervention, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Instructors and unionized staff at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology have ended a strike – at least temporarily – and have entered mediation.

Source: The Regina Leader-Post

Date: 09/12/2011

Link: http://www.leaderpost.com/business/Classes+resume+SIAST+union+return+table/5386481/story.html

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Questions for discussion:

  • What are the main issues in this strike?
  • Why did the union return to work?
  • Why was the union reluctant to enter mediation earlier?
  • What does the mediation agreement say?
  • How far apart are the two sides on pay?

B.C. teachers take limited job action

Posted by & filed under Chapter 7 - Defining and Commencing Collective Bargaining, Chapter 8 - The Collective Bargaining Process, Chapter 9 - Strikes and Lockouts.

Description: Members of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation are refusing to perform some tasks, such as attending staff meetings and writing report cards.

Source: The Vancouver Sun

Date: 09/06/2011

Link: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/teachers+labour+feud+clouds+school+year+education+minister+says/5355700/story.html

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Questions for discussion:

  • Why are B.C. teachers refusing to perform certain duties as the school year resumes?
  • How does this form of job action differ from a full-scale strike?
  • Why do you think the union is taking this approach?
  • What are the issues in this dispute?
  • The union says the job action might benefit students. Do you agree?

Canadian Business and Social Media

Posted by & filed under Communication.

Monitoring and engaging customer via low-cost social media can be an effective marketing and advertising strategy of many Canadian companies. Unlike companies from the U.S., which were forced to use low-cost social media to market their products due to huge budget cuts, Canadian companies, though monitors these social sites but does not yet engage consumers. Social media web sites are very popular and offer a unique opportunity for companies to build a loyal customer base. To effectively engage people on these sites, the IT, Marketing, HR and other areas of the company should collectively decide their online strategies.

  1. Do you think it is just the marketing budget constraints in Canadian Organizations that make them less engaged?
  2. While small businesses in Canada are on a rise, how do you think they can make their marketing effective and also strike a balance?
  3. In your opinion, which companies use social media well in listening to their customers and for promoting their products?

Source: R. Ruffolo “Canadian businesses slow to act on social, study finds”, IT World Canada (Retrievable online at http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/canadian-businesses-slow-to-act-on-social-study-finds/143850)

 

Global Management

Posted by & filed under Global Management.

The article talks about the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)—a free trade agreement under negotiation—which is expected to boost Canada’s economy by $6

billion. For the year 2010—when most developed countries were struggling with economic turmoil—the economies of Canada and India grew by 3.2% and 9% respectively.  Both countries can see immense benefit through CEPA. Through this agreement, Canadian companies will gain access to a large and a growing Indian market for their products and manpower resource. On the other hand, Indian companies benefit through relaxed trade between the two countries. Canada and India expect to complete their negotiations for this agreement by 2013, after which it will have to be approved by the parliament.

  1. Do you think this agreement decrease or increase Canada’s unemployment rate?
  2.  What do you think are the sectors that Canada can benefit from, when the agreement comes in to effect?
  3. Do you think the agreement will be more beneficial for Canada or India?

SOURCE: S. Okalow “Canada-India Free Trade Gathering Steam” Canadian Business (Retrievable online at http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/42685)